I have been thinking a lot about writing about generosity, I was raised by a wonderfully strong forward thinking Mother (my Father passed away when I was 10 years of age). Mum grew up without parents and was raised by a very "old fashioned" (at the time) Aunt. My memories of my beautiful Mum whose name was Alvie Alice, were warm, filled with home made baked bread, pineapple tart, jam coconut slice, home made relishes, home made jams and a home that was always welcoming to those in need.
Our Christmas lunch table was always filled with our family plus extra people who did not have family. I remember Mum always stopping at bus stops if anyone was waiting for a bus and giving them a lift. Incidentally I do this in our little town, and the reaction from people is one of amazement that someone would think to stop.
My Mother passed away when I was 23 in 1979 from a brain tumour.
Recently we were running a little late and drove past the bus stop and Ella said "Mama stop please you missed the lady at the bus stop she needs a lift and it is raining".
Mum had suffered a mostly difficult upbringing but she did not ever resort to the "poor me" syndrome. She was always positive, always baking for someone and always thinking of others.
This brings me to the "Secret Sisters" - a very diverse group of beautiful ladies.
Up until 2010 I was very much involved in the community assisting families in need, gathering bedding, clothes, food etc. Then out of the blue I suffered a heart attack (I will talk about this in another post). I had to learn to slow down, very difficult for me!
A friend spoke to me about how someone at her Church started a special Secret Sisters program for about 80 women. Each woman was given a name and over the next year the women would do something special anonymously and at random times with perhaps a card,some flowers, a small gift left in the letterbox.
I decided that there were 6 ladies from our school who might like the idea! I also doing it on a smaller scale would be manageable!
So I invited them to write 6 things they loved (ie: I like to write in journals and love to use nice pens, little frames, quotes,) on a piece of paper, place this paper in an envelope and asked them to bring them to the local coffee shop.
Before they arrived I placed a chocolate at 6 places on the table to have with their coffee. These special gorgeous ladies a very diverse group, all with beautiful hearts arrived and we ordered coffee.
We exchanged envelopes "under the table" and we quickly placed them into our handbags!
Our Secret Sisters have gone on to holiday with our families together, help out families in need through the school anonymously, along with spoiling each other with a "little something" that always comes at the right time in our letterbox.
Sometimes one of us finds a little something under our windscreen wipers on our cars in the School car park!
I am grateful for my secret sisters they have helped me when I was sick in hospital -one of them arrived the second day I was there armed with new pjamas, new dressing gown, new underwear, toilet bag filled with girly stuff.
So our little group has become a Secret Sisters to the rescue in many cases, and I am grateful for every one of them.
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